Indian Gay Community’s First Coming Out Day

Before Kevin, a 23-year-old hair stylist, set out for work Saturday in the north Indian city of Lucknow, he carefully folded up the left sleeve of his white shirt, while leaving the right one buttoned at his wrist.

It was a subtle gesture, but an important one, marking the Indian gay community’s first Coming Out Day. Organizers called on gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people to roll up one sleeve as a way to come out to one another.

“We need events like this,” said Shiv Sahoo, 37, an openly gay man and academic coordinator for the Alliance Francaise in New Delhi, said, "It is as if we don't exist today.”

“I wanted to tell everybody today that I’m gay,” said Kevin, who said he has told some relatives and friends that he is gay.

Manak Matiyani, 30, a gay-rights activist, said Saturday’s “One Sleeve Up” campaign was aimed at helping people find “a supportive queer community around.” The effort was semi-covert. It was only advertised in gay publications.

Activists in Mumbai engaged in a more public celebration, with gay people bursting through a papier mache closet and then sharing their coming out stories.

“We wanted to convey the message that one must come out,” said Harish Iyer, a gay-rights activist who helped organize the event. “If you come out, you have a family that belongs to you, accepts you and loves you.”